Dicentra plant named ‘Spring Magic’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dicentra  plant named ‘Spring Magic’, characterized by its upright and rounded plant habit; freely flowering habit; light pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dicentra formosa.

Cutlivar denomination: ‘SPRING MAGIC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dicentra, botanically known as Dicentra formosa and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spring Magic’.

The new Dicentra originated from an open-pollination in Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom, of an unnamed selection of Dicentra formosa, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dicentra formosa as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dicentra was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom in April/May, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dicentra by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom since June, 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Dicentra are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dicentra have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spring Magic’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spring Magic’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dicentra:

-   -   1. Upright and rounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Light pink-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Dicentra differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dicentra have darker-colored leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dicentra and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have darker pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Dicentra can also be compared to plants of Dicentra formosa ‘Bacchanal’, not patented. Plants of the new Dicentra and ‘Bacchanal’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dicentra have darker-colored leaves than         plants of ‘Bacchanal’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dicentra and ‘Bacchanal’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Bacchanal’ have darker pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dicentra, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dicentra.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Spring Magic’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Spring Magic’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Lancaster, Pa. under commercial practice during the winter and early spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 2° C. to 10° C. and night temperatures ranging from 2° C. to 7° C. Plants were two months from planting when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dicentra formosa ‘Spring Magic’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Dicentra             formosa, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dicentra             formosa, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About 10 days at             21° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About two months at             21° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy; white, close to 158B, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Perennial container or garden plant.             Upright and rounded plant habit; leaves and flowering shoots             developing from a basal rosette; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 16 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Developing from a basal             rosette; alternate, simple. Length: About 5.4 cm. Width:             About 7.2 cm. Shape: Roughly deltoid; deeply incised. Apex:             Acute to emarginate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Deeply incised.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N138B; venation, close to N138B. Petiole:             Length: About 10.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 197A. Color, lower surface: Close to 177B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single flattened cordate/saccate-shaped             flowers arranged in loose racemes arising from the central             crown and holding the flowers above the foliage on strong             peduncles; flowers nodding. Freely flowering habit with             about six to ten open flowers per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering during             June.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers maintain good substance             and color for about five days on the plant; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Towards the apex, close to 195B;             mid-section, close to 36D; towards the base, close to 36A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter: About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four; two outer             saccate petals fused in to a cordate structure and two inner             petals fused at the apices. Length, outer petals: About             1.7 cm. Length, inner petals: About 8 mm. Width, outer             petals: About 6 mm. Width, inner petals: About 2 mm. Shape,             outer petals: Roughly elliptical. Shape, inner petals:             Roughly lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing and fully expanded petals, outer surface: Close             to 65B; towards the apex, close to 65C to 65D; color             becoming closer to 56D with development. Developing and             fully expanded petals, inner surface: Close to 65D; color             becoming closer to 56D with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically two; opposite,             closely appressed to base of corolla. Length: About 2 mm.             Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 63D. Color,             lower surface: Close to 182D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 30° to 45° from vertical; pedicels eventually             drooping with weight of fully developed flowers. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 182B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four. Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close             to 49D. Anther shape: Rounded. Anther length: Less than             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 160A. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 160A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 1.4 cm. Stigma shape: Fan-shaped,             flattened. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to             138A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dicentra have been not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Dicentra. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dicentra have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Dicentra plant named ‘Spring Magic’ as illustrated and described. 